Nail fungus is an unpleasant condition. It can happen in either the toes or the fingers. Nail fungus Infection is called Onychomycosis. Nail fungus is infections of the nail by one of a number of fungi. Toe nail fungus is more often affected than finger nail.There are several ways to know if you have nail fungus. You can see the symptoms of nail fungus on your nail such as discoloration, a rough surface on your nail, lose its shine and luster and will often begin to loosen. For most people, it is an embarrassing condition, so they hide their nail fungus under nail polish or shoes, but for your information, if you did this, nail fungus never recover by its own and untreated nail fungus, it can spread to other nails and lead to painful infection problem.

Fungal infections usually appear in the toenails first, but can spread to the fingernails later, so unless you have been putting off treatment for a while, it’s likely to be a toenail fungus treatment that you need. First, you should learn how to make conditions inhospitable for the fungus, to hasten its departure and discourage it from returning after the treatment is finished. Fungi flourish on dead tissue – dead skin cells and the keratin in nails – and will settle in and cause fungal nail infections when conditions are moist. So keep your feet clean and dry.

Treatment for Nail Fungus

Topical ointments are not very effective when it comes to treating nail fungus. Experts have experimented on nail lacquers that are designed to effectively combat nail fungus.

Oral medications are more ideal for the treatment nail fungus.

Fluconazole- This drug is marketed as Diflucan. Individuals infected by nail fungus may take this once a week for several months. There have been reports of side effects involving the kidney. Said side affects can be resolved by lowering the dosage of the drug.

Itraconazole - This medicine can be taken in conjunction with other drugs including antibiotics and antihistamines. Itraconazole is taken once a week for two to three months. The drug is branded in the market as Sporanox.

Terbinafine - This drug is taken daily for eight weeks to treat fingernail fungus and 12 weeks to treat toenail fungus. There are only few documented side effects of this pill, compared to the other drugs. Lamisil is the brand name of Terbinafine in the market.

Home remedies:

There are several homeopathic or home remedies that have proven to be quite effective for treating the early stages of the infection. Some of the most common are Apple Cider Vinegar, Tea Tree Oil, Vicks Vapo Rub and Listerine.

Of the four mention the most likely to bring success is Apple Cider Vinegar. Apple Cider Vinegar or ACV provides an acidic environment that can stop reproduction and fungal growth. It has be stressed that most of the home remedies listed do requite time, patience and dedication. Even the mildest form of nail fungus can take several weeks or months or treatment.